Cable joint



Oct. 30, 1928.

N. E. BUCK ET AL CABLE JOINT Filed March 26, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N. E. BUCK ET AL Oct. 30, 1928.

CABLE' JOINT Filed March 26, 19,25 2 Sheets-Sheet lPatented oct. 3o, 192s.

UNITED STATES I` 1,689,420 PATENT oFFl'cE.

NELSON E. B'UGK,` DENNEY W. KOPER, AND ALEXANDER 1 THOMS, OF CHICAGO,

' ILLINOIS. i

CABLE JOINT.

Application led March 26, 1923. Serial No. 627,604.

Our invention relates to equipment for the electrical transmission of power, and more specifically to an improved cable joint. The type of cab-le in connection with which the joint has been illustrated is commonly emlyed in underground conduits. The ength of the completed joint need be no greater than that required for the proper separation of the conductors from each other and from the sheath to secure the necessary insulation. a

Another object is to completely encircle each individual conductor with an individual insulating sleeve that can be put in place laterally.

Another object is to effectively eliminate as far as possible, air pockets or voids in a construction in which certain parts have surface vcontact with each other.

All the objects and advantages above mentioned are obtained in the present structure to a greater degree than in the structures of the prior art, without sacrificing any of the advantages of erfect filling, freedom from air bubbles, an helical arran ement of the conductors throughout the jolnt set forth in our prior application, Serial o. 522,761, filed December 16, 1921.

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in the nature of ya longitudinal section through a joint according to the invention the upper hase conductor and its sleeve in this view eing shown as raised `out of contact with the lower .phase conductor sleeve; 1

Fig. 2 is a cross sectionalview of the outer belt and theinner sleeves and conductors of a joint such as is shown in Fig.

1, showing the `phase conductor sleeves in contact. j

Fi 3 is a side elevation ofl one of the indivldual insulating sleeve members and Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 isla sectionof a joint in which the cable comprises a single conductor only;

Fig. 6 1s a section on line 6-6 of'Fi 5; Fig. 7 is a side view of one of" the. s eeve elements, and

Fig. 8 1s a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a section similar toV Fig. `2 of a modified form of construction.

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the opposed cable ends 10 and 12 containing conductors 14 and 16 respectively, each covered with individual insulation 18, and all enclosed in an outer layer 20 of lnsulation, represents any of the well known types of cable construction at present known to the art.

The lead sleeve 30 is slipped over one of the cables, such as 12, and the ends ofthe cable sheaths belled at 32 as usual. Outer belt insulating sleeve 28 is also slipped over one of the cable ends.

The individual conductor ends Vare now bared of insulation, properly juxtaposed, and united by the usual copper splicing sleeves 24. The portion bared on each individual conductor and an adjacent portion of the insulated conductor each side of the bared portion is now completely enclosed by individual tubular insulating means. If these individual insulating devices lhad to be installed in the same way as sleeves 30 and 28, by sliding them longitudinally along the conductors they encircle, before the ends are joined, casing 30 would be lengthened by an amount almost equal to the length of the conductor insulating sleeve.

On account of the lay 1n the conductors in the cable it is necessary to straighten out the insulated conductors or else use a relatively larger conductor insulating tube before the latter'can be displaced longitudinally along the conductor. And this straightening of the insulated conductorsrequired with the large insulating tubes frequently damages the conductor insulation. These diiiiculties are obviated by the present invention. j

According to the invention, each individual conductor is enclosed in a two-part insulating sleeve having longitudinal slots in the parts of such widths that the insulating sleeves can be applied laterally to the conductor. Before placing the two-part conductor insulating sleeve around the conductor, the two parts are telescoped and the' slots brought-.into register. ing applied to theeconductor, the parts are rotated to bring the slots approximately opposite to the position in which they register.

Referring to Figure 2, each conductor 14 is enclosed by an outer insulating part 34 and an inner part 36 slotted at 38 and 40 respectively.

The two concentric parts are first assem- Then after bebled with the slats coinciding. fraisessere;

bly is slipped laterally over the joined con-` 28, 34 'and' 36 are varied with the voltage andv the relative thickness of the .several parts may be varied to secure the most economical desl Y p Vigenprefer not to entirely straighten out the hellcal twist of the individual conductors in the cable, but to let this helical twist remain in part throughout the joint to avoid injury to the conductor insulation. In.

order todo this slots 40 and 38 are cut 'at an angle or helically as indicated inv Figures 3 and 4. While, in assembled ositiomthe resulting structure does not` ave a true helical configuration with r ect tothe axis of thejoint as a whole, 1t is a Sui- Y ciently close approximation; to be entirely satisfactor -for all practical purposes.

It will e obvious that if the individual sleeves have a slighty helical tilt, they will not make line contact with each other anywhere, but will -have contact with each other on substantially the plane of the section line for Figure 2, which will be as nearly oint contact as the rigidity `of the materia and the accuracyV with which the shapes are formed will permit@ It will also be apparent that since the axis of part 34 is not parallel to the axis of sleeve 28; it will rest against sleeve 28, if at fall, only at its' opposite ends, and that the'contacts there will also be sub- .stantially point contacts. Throughout the entire j oint,` substantially the lonly. elements having greater than point contact, will vbe parts 34l and 36. In order .to prevent entrained air between these two insulatin parts, an insulating com ound is applic to the meeting surfaces o the parts fore they are telescoped. We find it desirable to employ `for this' purpose land for the lling of the 'oint, a greasy compound of the same general character as' is used for impregnating the paper insulation of the cable.

After assembly, the joint is filled through openings 42 and 44 in the usual way, as set forth in our co-pending application hereinabove referred to. j

Figure 5 shows an analogous construction for a cable containing a single conductor. In this form the slot in the parts 34 and 36. may be straigh-tflon 'tudinal slots.

n the singl'ecoliA uctor cable this desi allows the construction of a joint of smal er diameter, as with the slotted insulators it isnot necessa to havethe 'a than the lea meter larger sleeveotfthe cable.

unvention, that others may, frentknowledge, readil I' posed and 'joined conductor ends,

'Without' further elaboration, the lforegoing will so fully explain the gist of the by applying @11radapt the same for use under various con itions'of service. It will, for instance, be obvious that the outer sleeve28 might be formed in two parts, if desired, such as slotted members- 50 and' 52 in Figure 9.-' VThese'and many other modiications and adaptations may readily" be madeA by those skilled in thel art without eliminating certain features which may properly be said to constitute the essential items of novelt involved, which items are intended. to be efined and secured to us by the following claims.

' We claim 1. In a cable joint, in combination, juxtasaid sleeves being rotated when' 1n final positionv to move their slots out of register ,and form an insulating 'barrier completely encircling said conductor 2. In a cable joint, in combination, juxtaand two telescoped insulating sleeves each slotted to admit said ends laterally, said sleeves being rotated lwhen in final position to move their slots out of register and form an insulating barrier completelyvencircling said conductor ends, the slots in said sleeves being helical. j 3. In a cable joint, the combination of two sleeves littingjeach' other in telescopic engagement, each sleeve having a slotwide enough to admit the conductor laterally without distortion of the sleeve.

, 4. In a cable joint, in combination, a plurality of individual conductors and connections uniting the same in pairs, said conductors and connections running through the joint with `substantiall the same. helical twist `as the conductors in the cable, and in-V dividual insulating sleeve means completely encircling said connections and the conductor ends adjacent, said sleeves having substantially true cylindrical outer surfaces, and having their axes disposed in non parallel relation with respect to each other, whereby their contact with each other is substantially at points only.

5. In a cable joint, in combination, a plurality of individual conductors and connections uniting the same in pairs, said conductorsand connections running through the joint with substantially the same helical twist as the conductors in the cable, individual insulating sleeve means 'completely encirclin said individual connections and the con uctor ends adjacent, said sleeves having substantially true' cylindrical outer surfaces and angular-ly disposed in the direction of the several conductors which the contain, whereby their contact withl each Lesa-mo other is substantially at a single point only, and a sleeve enclosing all said individual sleeves, said enclosing sleeve having a substantially cylindrical inner surface, whereby it makes substantially said angularly disposed individual sleeves.

6. In a cable joint, in combination, a plurality of conductors, a plurality of separators individual to the conductors providing separate tubular passageways for said conductors, said separators each having their surface in Contact at a point with the surface of the adjacent separator inside the joint, all said contacting surfaces bein surfaces of revolution, and an insulating lling for the joint, said separators comprising parts telescoped and rotated with respect to each other.

7. In a cable joint, in combination, ,juxtaposed and joined conductor ends and telescoped insulating sleeves each slotted to admit said ends laterally, said sleeves being rotated when in final position to move their slots out of register and form an insulatingbarrier completely encircling said conductor, and a film of lubricating material between said sleeves to facilitate said rotation, said lubricating material serving as additional insulation, and excluding gases.

8. In a cable joint for lead covered paper insulated cables, the combination of aper insulated. cable conductors having juxtaposed and joined ends, telescoped insulating sleeves for each joined conductor, each sleeve being slotted to admit ,the joined ends laterally, and said sleeves for each conductor having their slots out of register and forming anv insulating barrier completely encir-Y cling the corresponding conductor, an outer lead sleeve enclosing said joined conductors and insulating material poured into and illing the remaining spaces in the lead sleeve. v

oint contact with 9. In a cable joint, the combination Vof inconductor laterally, and said sleeves having their slots out of register and forming'an insulating barrier completel encircling the corresponding conductor,`and an outer tubular sleeve of insulation enclosing a plurality of said sets of telescoped sleeves, and extending over the adjacent ends of the cable conductor insulation.

10. In combination, an insulator for use in cable joints including a substantially cylindrical sleeve for housing a portion of a twisted conductor, said sleeve having a slot at one side Wide enough to admit the conductor it is to house without distortion of said sleeve, the slot in said sleeve /being helical to enable it to receive the said twisted conductor without straightening the same, and a cylindrical closure member for covering the slot to completely enclose the conductor. y

11. In combination, a cable joint insulatorv including a substantially cylindrical insulating sleeve for housing'a portion of an electrical conductor of the cable, said `sleeve having a slot at one [side wide enough to admit the vconductor it is to house without distortion of said sleeve, and closure means for covering said slot comprising a second insulating sleeve telescoping the first sleeve and having a slot in its side similar to that in said iirst sleeve, said slots being normally out of register'.

Intwitness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 21st day of March, 1923.

, NELSON E. BUCK.

DENNEY'W. KOPER. ALEXANDER P. THOMS. 

